Ultra-Modern Ophthalmology Facility at Zewditu
It started as corporate social responsibility with the vision to treat “100,000 patients and perform 10,000 sights restoring surgeries”. The Ultra-Modern Ophthalmology was constructed inside the Zewditu Memorial Hospital campus in Addis Ababa. The public-private partnership
between the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia and the Overseas Infrastructure Alliance (OIA) was inaugurated on March 20, 2014. But less than three years later OIA group took all its ophthalmologists and went back to India, leaving the eye care center in a state undetermined.
OIA was not able to profit from the service it was giving seeing the fact that Zewditu Hospital being a government hospital, serves its patients for a nominal fee. As a result, the ultramodern facility and its top-of-the-line TOPCON Medical instruments closed the door for the last four years. It was at this time when HBL plc. went to check if their eye center needs any ophthalmology instruments, and the doctors informed us that the instruments were not functional.
$120,000 worth of Instruments were not in use for four years.
Zewditu Memorial Hospital Eyecare has 13 brand-name top-of-the-line diagnostic equipment for imaging, diagnostic, refractive measurement, and surgical procedures for the ophthalmic community. All of this equipment was made by TOPCON.
1. 3D OCT-2000
2. KR-800 Auto Kerato Refractometer (2X)
3. TRC-50DX Mydriatic Retinal Camera
4. Slit Lamp SL-D7 with DC-3
5. Slit Lamp SL-3G (2X)
6. OMS-90 Operation Microscope
7. OMS-710 Operation Microscope
8. CT-80 Non-Contac Computerized Tonometer
(2X)
Getting all the instruments back to life.
Upon making a sales call to the eye center at Zewditu Memorial Hospital Eye care, HBL plc. discovered that the center has 13 pieces of equipment that are not functional since the OIA Eye care doctors left the center for India. Seeing the fact that Zewditu Memorial Hospital is serving the low-income population where “blindness is the cause for disability and excess mortality, resulting in huge economic and social consequences”, HBL plc took action right away to get all the machines to be functional without even asking any service charge to the hospital. Unfortunately, these machines were collecting dust all these years.
“Ethiopia is believed to have one of the world’s highest rates of blindness (1.6%) and low vision (3.7%) of which more than 80% are either treatable or preventable”
Revision of visual impairment definitions in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases.
HBL PLC. at work
One of the challenging parts of getting the machines to be functional again was the fact that there was no history or track record of each of the equipment. All the equipment was not used for 4 years. The hardware problems were prevalent. Mainly monitor issues including wiring connection issues. The main problem had to do with a software update and adjustment. Not having a dedicated internet connection was one additional problem. Using a wireless dongle resolved that problem. The benefit of having quality equipment and direct access to additional consultation and support from the manufacturer (TOPCON Medical) was like a lifeline in need.
3D OCT-2000
The Topcon 3D OCT-2000 System is the first Spectral Domain OCT
system to incorporate a high-resolution fundus camera and a
the user-friendly color touch screen display in a compact, space
saving design.
KR-800 Auto Kerato-Refractometer
Topcon is proud to introduce the new KR-800 Auto
Kerato/Refractometer, which incorporates the very latest in design technology and ergonomics.
OMS-90 Operation Microscope
The OMS-90 Operation Microscope is the new standard in versatile microsurgery. It features a water-repellent objective lens, new coaxial illumination, a PD adjustment knob, and a five-step magnification.
